Methods and apparatuses for providing and displaying cluster data

Abstract

Embodiments of a method and apparatus for providing cluster data are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving, from a geographic information system (GIS) client device, geographical coordinates of a viewable extent of the GIS client device. The method may include dividing the viewable extent into portions. The method may include receiving geographically-referenced data points. The method may include determining the portions of the viewable extent in which the data points are located. The method may include transmitting, to the GIS client device, clustering information for the portions. The clustering information may be generated based on the data points determined to be within the portions. Other embodiments are also described.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for providing cluster data to a geographic information system (GIS) client device, the method comprising:
 receiving, from the GIS client device, geographical coordinates of a viewable extent of the GIS client device, wherein the geographical coordinates of the viewable extent include a geographical latitude and a geographical longitude of a point of a current view displayed on the GIS device;
 dividing the viewable extent into portions; 
 receiving geographically-referenced data points, wherein the geographically-referenced data points represent objects geographically located within the current view; 
 determining the portions of the viewable extent in which the data points are located; and 
 
 transmitting, to the GIS client device, clustering information for the portions, the clustering information being generated based on the data points determined to be within the portions. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a threshold value from the GIS client device, the threshold value indicating a number of data points, in each portion, above which data point updates are not transmitted to the GIS client device. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 upon receiving a data point, determining whether the threshold for the corresponding portion has been exceeded; 
 if the threshold has not been exceeded, transmitting updated clustering information for the portion; and 
 if the threshold has been exceeded, suppressing transmission of at least one update message for the portion. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 if the threshold for the corresponding portion has been exceeded upon receiving the data point, transmitting a message instructing the GIS client device to display a cluster graphic within the portion and to terminate display of data points within the portion, the cluster graphic representing a value for a quantity of data points within the portion; and 
 
       updating the value for the quantity of data points represented by the cluster graphic upon receiving subsequent indications that additional data points are located within the portion or upon receiving subsequent indications that data points have moved from the portion. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 suppressing transmission of updates of the clustering information for a portion in which the value for the quantity of data points represented by the cluster graphic is unchanged from a previous update. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining is based on the geographic latitude and the geographic longitude of the point. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that a received data point is not within the viewable extent; and 
 suppressing cluster processing of the received data point based on the determining. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 storing data corresponding to the received data point; and 
 deleting the stored data after a time duration. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the point of the current view is the lowermost leftmost point displayed on the GIS device. 
     
     
       10. A method, performed by a geographic information system (GIS) device, for displaying clusters, the method comprising:
 transmitting, to a server, coordinates of a viewable extent of the GIS device wherein the coordinates of the viewable extent include a geographical latitude and a geographical longitude of a point of a current view displayed on the GIS device; 
 receiving a clustering data message from the server, the clustering data message including an identifier of a portion of the viewable extent and the clustering message further including data representing at least one data point located within the portion, wherein the at least one data point represent objects geographically located within the current view; and 
 
       displaying a graphic representing the at least one data point within the corresponding portion. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 transmitting user preferences to the server, the user preferences including a threshold value indicating a number of data points, in each portion, above which data point updates are not to be transmitted to the GIS client device. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the displaying comprises:
 displaying a graphical representation of each data point in a portion for which the threshold has not been exceeded; 
 displaying one cluster graphic representing a value for a quantity of data points in a portion for which the threshold has been exceeded. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 transmitting revised coordinates of the viewable extent based on an operator input. 
 
     
     
       14. A method for throttling clustering data updates provided to a geographic information system (GIS) client device, the method comprising:
 receiving, from the GIS client device, coordinates of a viewable extent of the GIS client device, wherein the coordinates of the viewable extent include a geographical latitude and a geographical longitude of a point of a current view displayed on the GIS device; 
 dividing the viewable extent into portions; 
 determining that a number of data points within at least one portion has exceeded a user threshold, wherein the data points represent objects geographically located within the current view; and 
 suppressing transmission of clustering data updates for the at least one portion based on the determining. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 storing the clustering data updates, and 
 deleting the clustering data updates after a time duration. 
 
     
     
       16. An apparatus for providing cluster data to a geographic information system (GIS) client device, the apparatus comprising:
 a communication interface configured to
 receive data points, and 
 receive, from the GIS client device, geographical coordinates of a viewable extent of the GIS client device, wherein the geographical coordinates of the viewable extent include a geographical latitude and a geographical longitude of a point of a current view displayed on the GIS device, and wherein the data points represent objects geographically located within the current view; and 
 
 one or more processors configured to
 divide the viewable extent into portions; 
 determine the portions of the viewable extent in which received data points are located; and 
 generate, for transmission via the communication interface, clustering information for the portions, the clustering information being generated based on the data points determined to be within the portions. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the communication interface is further configured to:
 receive a threshold value from the GIS client device, the threshold value indicating a number of data points, in each portion, above which data point updates are not transmitted to the GIS client device. 
 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 upon receiving a data point, determine whether the threshold for the corresponding portion has been exceeded; 
 if the threshold has not been exceeded, transmit, via the communication interface, updated clustering information for the portion; and 
 if the threshold has been exceeded,
 suppress transmission of at least one update message for the portion, 
 transmit, via the communication interface, a message instructing the GIS client device to display a cluster graphic within the portion and to terminate display of data points within the portion, the cluster graphic representing a value for a quantity of data points within the portion, and 
 update the value for the quantity of data points represented by the cluster graphic upon receiving subsequent indications that additional data points are located within the portion or upon receiving subsequent indications that data points have moved from the portion. 
 
 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 suppress transmission of updates of the clustering information for a portion in which the value for the quantity of data points represented by the cluster graphic is unchanged from a previous update. 
 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more processors determine the portion of the viewable extent to which each of the data points belongs based on the geographic latitude and the geographic longitude of each of the data points. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more processors are further arranged to:
 determine that a received data point is not within the viewable extent; and 
 suppress cluster processing of the received data point based on the determining. 
 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the point is the lowermost leftmost point of the current view displayed on the GIS device. 
     
     
       23. A computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed on a geographic information system (GIS) client device, cause the GIS client device to:
 transmit, to a server, coordinates of a viewable extent of the GIS device, wherein the coordinates of the viewable extent include a geographical latitude and a geographical longitude of a point of a current view displayed on the GIS device; 
 receive a clustering data message from the server, the clustering data message including an identifier of a portion of the viewable extent and the clustering data message further including data representing at least one data point located within the portion, wherein the at least one data point represents objects geographically located within the current view; and 
 display a graphic representing the at least one data point within the corresponding portion. 
 
     
     
       24. The computer-readable medium of  claim 23 , further comprising instructions that, when implemented on a GIS client device, cause the GIS client device to:
 transmit user preferences to the server, the user preferences including a threshold value indicating a number of data points, in each portion, above which data point updates are not to be transmitted to the GIS client device. 
 
     
     
       25. The computer-readable medium of  claim 24 , further comprising instructions that, when implemented on a GIS client device, cause the GIS client device to:
 display a graphical representation of each data point in a portion for which the threshold has not been exceeded; 
 display one cluster graphic depicting a value for a quantity of data points in a portion for which the threshold has been exceeded. 
 
     
     
       26. The computer-readable medium of  claim 23 , further comprising instructions that, when executed on a GIS client device, cause the GIS client device to:
 transmit revised coordinates of the viewable extent based on an operator input.